How to make a Paper plugin

Step by step

1. 1.Choose the Minecraft version

   Use the version your server runs. It decides the Java version: Java 17 before 1.20.5, Java 21 from 1.20.5, Java 25 for 26.x.

2. 2.Create the project

   A Gradle or Maven project with the paper-api dependency for that version, from the PaperMC repository, in the provided/compileOnly scope.

3. 3.Write the main class

   A class that extends JavaPlugin, with onEnable() to register commands and listeners.

4. 4.Describe the plugin to the server

   plugin.yml (name, version, main, api-version, commands, permissions). Paper also supports paper-plugin.yml, with its own loading rules.

5. 5.Build and test

   Build the .jar, put it in the plugins/ folder of a Paper test server, start it and check the console for errors.

Paper or Spigot?

Code written for the Spigot API runs on Paper, but not the other way around: Paper adds events and methods (for example the Adventure text components and many async APIs) that Spigot does not have. Write for Paper if your server runs Paper; write for Spigot if the plugin must also run on Spigot servers.

The fast way

On Codexe, choose a Bukkit/Spigot/Paper plugin, say "Paper" and the version in the request, and describe what it does. Codexe sets up the project and the right Java version, compiles it, fixes build errors and lets you join a Paper test server with the plugin installed.

Common problems

• UnsupportedClassVersionError: the plugin was compiled with a newer Java than the server runs.
• NoSuchMethodError / NoClassDefFoundError: the plugin uses an API that does not exist on the server version, or a dependency was not shaded into the .jar.
• Plugin loads but commands do nothing: the command is missing from plugin.yml or the executor is not registered.

Questions